Bottling-machine



UNITED STATES PATENT Grrrcn.

CHARLES G. HUTOHINSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BYOTTLING- MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 225,475, dated March16, 1880.

Application filed January 13, 1880.

vention; Fig. 2, a vertical central section from side to side, or fromfront to rear, of the machine; and Fig. 3 is a section in the plane ofthe line 00 x of Fig. 2.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts.

My invention has for its object the providing of mechanical means forfilling and closing with facility bottles having internal stoppersprovided with upwardly-projecting stems for suspending the stoppersproperly with relation to the necks, and which stems have a loop or eyeat their upper ends to facilitate the closing or tightening of thestopper.

To this end my invention consists of the means, substantially ashereinafter set forth, which I employ for the purpose above mentioned. p

In the drawings, A represents a bottle, and B is a stopper, of the classhereinbefore referred to. O is a stand, table, or bench. D is a rod orbar passing up freely through the bench G. E is a disk or bottle-supporton the upper end of the rod D. F is a treadle or lever pivoted to thelower part of the bench or having other suitable bearing.

The lower end of the rod D is pivoted or otherwise jointed to thetreadle F in such manner that the vibration of the latter will move thesupport E up and down alternately.

G is a bracket or support applied to the bench G or to some suitablefixture. H is a hollow cylinder supported by the bracket G in suchmanner that the lower or open end of the cylinder shall be directly overthe disk E. I is an annular cushion in the lower end of the cylinder H,and J is an induction-tube entering the cylinder. This induction-tubeshould be provided with a cock, for the purpose hereinafter mentioned;but as this cock is intended to perform the ordinary and well-knownfunction of such devices, I have not here shown one.

The length of the plunger M is such that it may extend sufficientlybelow the cylinder H to be hooked into the upper end of the stem of thestopper Bwhen the bottle and stopper are arranged in the positionsindicated by the dotted or broken lines shown in Fig. 1-viz., when thebottle and stopper are in their lowest positions.

To use the filler and closer now described I proceed as follows: Thebottle to be filled is placed on the disk or bottle-support E, thestopper being first depressed or pushed down to its open position, whereit will be suspend ed approximately in a central position with relationto the neck of the bottle. The hook to is then inserted into the loop ofthe steifi' of the stopper, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3; I or the stemmay be hooked upon the hook a by being inserted into the lower end ofthe cylinder and moved until the proper connection with the hook ismade. Usually the act of placing the bottle on its support and ofhooking the stopper-stem to the plunger may be performed at about thesame time. I then depress the treadle, by which means the bottle will beheld up firmly against the cushion I. The liquor may now be allowed toenter through the pipe J, and as soon as the bottle is filled the leverL should be raised enough to draw the stopper to its closed position.

While raising the bottle-support the lever L may also be raised to anequal extent without closing the stopper; but it is not necessary thatthis should be done, for the hook will find its connection with thestopper-stem if the hand-lever be raised after the bottle is forced upagainst the cushion I, provided the connection is first made in themanner already described, or the parts arranged for connection on thedrawing up of the hook at. The raising of the hook at in the mannerdescribed closes the bottle, and after it is closed the treadle and thehand-lever should be released, when the bottle will descend to aposition which will admit of its being easily removed; but beforereleasing the bottle the flow through the pipe J should be shut off, itbeing understood that the cock therein was opened after the bottle wasraised to its cushion.

The most common use to which this machine will be applied, probably,will be the bottling of aerated liquors, and when so used the cylinder Hshould be provided with an air-vent to prevent the gas from interferingwith the filling of the bottle; but as such a vent is not absolutelyessential, even when the liquors are effervescent, though a vent is thenpreferable, and as no vent is required for non-effervescent liquors, Ihave not here shown and described such a vent; and the construction,application,

and operation of such a vent, for the purposes set forth, is, moreover,well known to those familiar with the art to which my invention relates.

It may also be here stated that the filler and closer now described maybe used in connection with a sirup-gage in any well-known or suitableway when aerated liquors are to be bottled.

It is obvious, from the fbregoing description,

- that the cylinder H may be moved downward upon the bottle instead ofmoving the bottle upward to the cylinder, and that in the former casethe bottle may be supported directly upon a fixed table or support, andI would therefore regard a movable cylinder, instead of the fixedcylinder herein shown, a mere modification of construction within thescope of the essential principles of my invention.

I am aware that a plunger provided on its lower end with claws orfingers for seizing the sides of the plugs or valves has heretofore beenmade; and I do not therefore here intend to claim such; but,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, in a bottling-machine, of the plunger M, having on itslower end the hook a, for entering a loop or eye in the stem of abottle-stopper, the stuffing-box K, and the cylinder H, substantially asand for the purposes specified.

CHARLES Gr. HUTOHINSON.

Witnesses:

F. F. WARNER, W. S. BAKER.

